U.S. Representative Jim Banks (R-IN), Chairman of the Military Personnel Subcommittee, delivered the following opening remarks at a hearing on the health and welfare of the force and the impact of current Department of Defense and service policies.
Rep. Banks' remarks as prepared for delivery:
I want to welcome everyone to this hearing of the Military Personnel subcommittee. I want start by saying it has been some time… If I have it correctly… it's been since 2019… that we have had the Service Personnel Chiefs come in front of the Military Personnel Subcommittee. A lot has changed in that time… we now have a Space Force, the end of operations in Afghanistan, a Russian war in Ukraine on the eastern flank of NATO and the ever increasing threat of the PRC military in the South China Sea and in other locations throughout the world.
These changes are what makes this hearing so important. Today's hearing is focused on the personnel policy makers…who are charged with developing the policies, guidance and programs that affect the strategic objectives for accessions, recruiting, assignments, benefits, career development and much more…That is to say…YOU are largely responsible for developing tools that shape the total force in each of your Services.
This is no small task…we are here… to hear from you…YOUR perspective…on the effectiveness and consequences of all of these polices…especially considering the current difficulties we face in retaining talent and the challenges we are encountering across the recruiting enterprise… and these are just two areas.
We have heard from a number of senior DoD officials touting that 2023 marks the 50TH anniversary of the All-Volunteer Force. This is indeed a tremendous achievement that speaks to the American spirit of patriotism that embodies many young people that are willing to put Service in front of Self.
Quite the difference when we consider the sometimes… forced conscription militaries of our adversaries like China and Russia. These societies oftentimes give no credence to the desires of their young adults…but this is to be expected from states that espouse despotism NOT democracy...
Which makes what we are going to discuss here today so important. I for instance…. had a choice when I raised my hand and volunteered for Service to this great nation. Something I would do again… because it was this opportunity to serve in our military that helped shape who I am today.
This is why I can say the viability of our All-Volunteer Force is at stake…. I have said before at this Subcommittee that there appears to be an erosion of trust between our servicemembers and Senior Leaders…
That is why these personnel issues and these policies that YOU control could not be more important. We owe it to our service-members and their families to get this right.
I want to thank our witnesses for being with us today and for their service to the nation. I also want to thank all of our Service-members: Active Duty, Reservists and Guard Members who are serving this nation around the world as we speak…You and your families are really the subject of this hearing as the policies and regulations controlled by these senior officers profoundly affect your lives and your very decision to stay in service or leave.
In our hearing on the 9th of March, we heard from the senior enlisted leaders that all things are not well…that the Services have a trust issue and some of our service members are not properly taken care of…this is our… YOURS and mine… Our primary responsibility. As I said then… "The All-Volunteer Force has placed a covenant of trust in our military leaders…" You are those leaders entrusted with this obligation, this sacred responsibility…to develop policy and recommend legislation that maintains the force and takes care of people, their careers and their families…their very livelihood.
Secretary Austin just released a memo … "Strengthening Our Support To Service Members and Their Families"… I am heartened that many of these issues, long advocated for by this subcommittee and some legislated by this Congress are finally being implemented…but is it enough?.... I would say…NO…it is NOT…and the service recruiting metrics over the last several years bear this out.
Almost all of you are likely to miss your recruiting goals again this year…the Army alone by more than 15,000 just last year…you have reduced your end-strength requests below the 2023 authorized numbers…you must ask yourselves why…I ask…what are you doing about it?
What are you doing to ensure you have the required end strength to fulfill your mission requirements around the world? Let alone, issues like service member food insecurity, identified by YOU….to effect 25% of the force…this is unacceptable…what are YOU doing about it?
So today we want to focus on…what concrete actions are YOU taking to address all the problems that you face?...whether it's recruiting…pay…benefits…food insecurity… retaining talent…family issues or the elimination of unnecessary bureaucracy?… And we don't want more of the same, clearly that is not working…what are YOU doing differently?
In my view…the personnel system, writ large—the totality of statute, regulation, culture, and tradition currently in place, that determines how uniformed service members and civilians alike are recruited, trained, retained, promoted, assigned, and compensated—is OUT OF DATE… and needs to be reformed…reformed to be more agile, flexible and adaptative. The key challenges to consider include...policy bars to accessions like medical and physical standards. Compensation of personnel…what do they value?…money….assignments…family care? And talent and career management policy, what are the barriers?…assignments…promotions…service culture.
What are YOU doing to attract that next Soldier, Marine, Sailor, Airman or Guardian that will be entrusted with defending our freedom.
That is a lot…but all of this is a contract of trust that is critical to recruiting, retention...and people's belief in service. It is critical to the implementation of the National Defense Strategy and the defense of this nation.
What I'd like to understand today… is what have the Services done to affect change to live up to this responsibility... What I know… is there can be no doubt… the lifeblood of the military is our great men and women that choose to serve whether they be from Indiana like me, New Jersey like our Ranking Member or any of the other state in this nation. We have an opportunity to SERVE our service-members and WE MUST GET IT RIGHT.
